The Primordial Path
by ericwinter
Summary: Your life sucks. From bullies to an insane mother, you have more than your fair share of troubles, and little to make things worth it. But, one day, you discover something. An ancient artifact will grant you powers you couldn't even begin to imagine. But how will you use them? ANd what happens when the whole world starts to seem a lot more complicated than it once was? Quest!
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, this is going to be… interesting. For those of you new to me as a writer, HI! For those of you not, don't worry, I am working on my other stories as well. I've just been trying to sort out a recent injury, and figuring out what it will mean for my life over the next couple months. Nothing big, don't worry, but things will be a bit shaky. For now, however, I have something brand-new, and quite possibly unique to Fanfiction to present to you. (If not, please feel free to correct me)**

 **So to start off with, this is what is known on Spacebattles as a 'quest'. It is, in essence, a 'choose your own adventure' story, except governed by popular vote. I, the GM, write a chapter, and at the end of it present to you, the readers, a choice. Majority vote decides the path taken, as well as influencing the character's stats, which will in turn influence future choices, events, and abilities. Fair warning, this story has also been posted on SpaceBattles, so I will also be taking input from there.**

 **Alright, that should be good for now, so I'll let you all get on with it. Try not to blow the world up while you're at it, yeah?**

XXX

School sucked. You knew that, of course. It was inevitable that an institution which insisted on locking hundreds of kids in limited space for seven hours a day, five days a week-at minimum-would have a lot of flaws. But there was something about today, as you listened to Mr. McGregory's voice drone on and on about variables and equations, that gnawed at your failing sanity. :Your eyes rested unwaveringly on the clock, watching is it ticked painfully slowly towards lunchtime. At least then you could distract yourself from the utter boredom with eating.

For a moment, you took your eyes off the clock, since there were still several minutes until the bell and if you stared any longer you suspected your dreams would be haunted by numbers cackling at your suffering. Instead, you swept your gaze over the rest of the class, amusing yourself at analyzing their own methods of ignoring the teacher. Several were asleep, heads buried in their arms and lines of drool slipping down their lips, and you could see several more drowsing towards that direction. Other, braver souls had their phones out, more often than not held under tables or behind bags they had rested upon their desks. The only person who appeared to be paying a lick of attention was Greg Crauley, but even his usual enthusiasm was dulled by hunger and the general air of listlessness in the room.

You glanced back down to your own desk, and the old, ratty book lying there. You had read your copy of The Return of the King half a million times already, and it showed in the peeling spine and stained pages. You would pick it up again, but apathy and the ticking of the clock stayed your hand. It would only be a few more minutes until Lunch, and that was hardly enough to get to a good stopping place. Then again, it might kill the last stretch of time…

You were just chewing your lip, contemplating the matter, when a sudden buzzing practically had you jumping in your seat. It would seem in your distraction you hadn't noticed McGregory finishing his lecture, or the clock finally hitting one. With a shrug, you stood up and collected your bag and book, following the crowd as it spilled out into the well-practised ease you weaved through them, making your way up to the roof. It was a quiet place, isolated from the cliques and groups of the rest of the school, and a harmless rebellion against the rules that sent a tiny thrill through you every time you stepped out the door.

Once outside, you collapsed into a sitting position, sighing as your gaze took in the New York skyline. Your school, St. Marie's Institutional Facility, was located smack dab in the middle of Manhattan's urban jungle. You found it deliciously ironic. Just like you, the building was lost amongst the sea of steel and glass skyscrapers, an unremarkable ant among titans. You were one student among hundreds, as St. Marie's was one school among hundreds. Nothing interesting ever happened there, and nothing ever would.

With a jerk, you caught hold of the deprecating thoughts and pushed them out. Depression was an old friend, one that had been your companion for several years as you struggled against the futility and dullness of your life. You hardly needed to encourage it more with thoughts like those, especially while your lunch hour was wasting slowly away. With another sigh, you pulled out your lunch, a simple salad composed from lettuce and dressing, and set to eating.

You were halfway through the meal and a good few pages into your book-reading as you ate to distract your thoughts- when the sudden sound of metal banging on metal caught your attention, and you looked up. Walking out onto the roof were three girls, tall and glamorous in their school uniforms and fancy jewelry that glimmered in the midday light. You knew them.

"Oh look, if it isn't Jenna!" The lead girl, a willowy redhead cried out in surprise that was so fake you could practically hear the plastic crackling of her smile. Her two lackeys, one with dark coffee-colored skin and another who looked almost like a vampire with how pale she was, giggled. "Fancy seeing you up here, all alone."

"What do you want, Melanie?" You asked, rising slowly and eyeing the trio of girls. They were… well, beautiful was a bit of an understatement. With soft skin, luscious curves, and faces that most artists would have died fro the chance to paint, the three girls looked like supermodels, even at the age of seventeen. They were the only things of real note at St. Mary's, three gorgeous students who were expected to become celebrities by practically everyone; a shame their personalities were just as ugly and poisonous as their bodies were beautiful.

"Want, Jenna? Why, me, Bella, and Lauren were just coming up here to eat our lunch in private." You narrowed your eyes at Melanie's smile, which was deceptively innocent as she held up a small lunchbox that glared pink. Behind her, the other two did the same. "We didn't even know you were up here."

"Right, because you always eat on the roof." You said, not even trying to hide your sarcasm. They didn't, of course, you were usually up here yourself, while _they_ stayed in the actual cafeteria, reigning amongst their court of sycophants. Today, however, you weren't in any mood for their games.

"We felt like a change today." the other pale one said, Lauren, you remembered. "You don't mind, do you?" You almost snorted at the request. There was little you could do to stop them, of course, and they knew it. Instead, however, you sighed and picked up your things.

"Go right ahead. I was about to go inside, anyways." You lied, before trying to step past the trio. Unsurprisingly, however, they closed ranks, blocking your way, and you had to bite back a vicious curse.

"You're here anyways Jenna, why not stay and hang out with us for a while?" The last, Bella, asked with honey in her tone, and your lips curled downwards. You had expected this, of course. There was little other reason for the trio to come up here except tormenting you, and would hardly have let you go so easily. Still, you couldn't help but wonder while glaring at their sharp eyes and razor-edged smiles, what could they be trying this time?

"No thank you," You said carefully, trying to copy their fake smiles as best you could. Somehow, id didn't feel like it worked as their own widened. "I have some extra homework that really needs to get done…" You trailed off when the girls, as one, took a step forward, and you unconsciously shifted back to match.

"Oh who cares about homework? We should talk about the dance instead! Tonight will be so much _fun_!" Your eyes widened as Melanie spoke. So that was what they were going for. Suddenly you were thankful this was happening on the roof, and not in the cafeteria where everyone could see.

"I'd rather not." You said carefully, gulping heavily. This wasn't going to end well, you knew it.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked, and in an instant, the entire scene shifted. No longer did any of the three girls try to hide the predatory gleam in their eyes, or the wolfish twist of their smiles. They moved forward like a well-oiled machine, surrounding you until they had formed a tight circle. With you trapped inside. "Don't you have a date?"

"Of course she doesn't." Lauren answered for you, her vicious smile widening. "Who would ask out someone as ugly as her?" You flinched at the insult, even as you tried to stand your ground.

"Move." You tried to say, but it was weak, and the trio just stepped closer, until they were practically hugging you. Melanie shoved you, throwing your body into Bella.

"Why should we, Jenna? What's a stupid, dateless nerd like you going to do?" She asked, but you didn't answer when Bella, sneering in disgust, shoved you back. As you impacted, your lunch and book, which you had been holding onto tightly, were sent sprawling to the ground.

"Hey!" You shouted, anger finally boiling over at the sight, and your fists balled. The next moment, however, the three girls abandoned their little game of throwing you around, and you were instead sent sprawling to the ground. Pain blossomed in your cheek as it crashed with the hard concrete surface, and you bit back a loud moan. That would likely bruise. When you finally managed to fight back the sensation and push yourself to your knees, however, you froze.

"Give me my book back." Your voice was deathly quiet as you stared at the three girls. Melanie looked up from the paperback in her hands, a dangerous glint in her eye.

"You know," She started conversationally, turning your book over slowly. With every second you felt something, a small, glowing pit of her, build up within cared little for your salad, scattered on the roof and already blowing in a gentle breeze. No, your focus was wholly upon the book where it rested in those cruel, vicious hands with their carefully manicured nails. "I see you reading this quite often. I wonder, is it important?" You stiffened at her words, even as images flashed through your mind of a kind smile and gentle arms. Frantically, you pushed back the thoguths, meeting Melanie's sparkling eyes.

"Of course not. It's just a book." You tried to say it as noncommittally as possible, shrugging, but Melanie didn't buy it. Her eyes narrowed, and she exchanged glances with her two followers. Then, without even a hint of warning, she tore the book in half.

"No!" You screamed, even as you felt your heart being torn asunder. You stared for several long seconds as Melanie laughed, a cruel, high sound that usually set you bones quivering, and tossed the two pieces at the ground in front of you.

"Oops." She said, laughing again, and this time her friends joined in. You didn't react, but with every moment the sound of their mirth went on, you felt something snap. The heat, the sheer anger that had been growing as Melanie took one of your few precious possessions in her hands, blossomed. Suddenly, you felt a terrible fire burning in your veins as you stood, glaring at the girl.

"How… dare you." In contrast to the heat within, your voice was like ice, a frigid blizzard that instantly snapped all three of the trio's eyes to you. You took a step closer, relishing in the fear that you could suddenly see shining in their eyes. "How _dare_ you!" Again, the words came spilling out, but now they were a scream, a cry of the outrage you could feel clawing at your heart. The trio jumped, and before you could take one step closer, turned and ran for the door leading back inside. For one second, one terrible, burning second, you wanted to follow them. You wanted to chase those three _bitches_ down and beat them black and blue. But then the sound ofa page turning caught your ear, and you glanced down at the two forlorn book-halves, flapping lightly in the wind. Suddenly, all the anger drained away, and you collapsed to your knees to pick the split volumes up.

"I am so stupid." You muttered, staring at the book. Shame and despair twisted your stomach, and you closed your eyes. Why hadn't you fought back? There were three of them, yes, but as you saw at the end, every last one of those bitches were cowards. But then, you were too, weren't you? For years, they had bullied you, and for years you had let them. And now, they had finally destroyed something utterly irreplaceable. It was too far.

When the bell rang, signalling Lunch's end, you stayed on the roof.

XXX

The walk home after school was quiet, relatively speaking. There were, of course, the usual New York sounds of busy streets and more people shoved into a single city than was honestly reasonable, but your mind, at least, was two halves of your book were safely ensconced within your bag, but you could still see it in your mind's eye, sitting forlorn and destroyed on the roof. One might have expected you to be angsting over it, your thoughts swirling with emotion and self-deprecation, but truthfully, you had done that already. The rest of the school day had been spent on the roof, thinking, doubting, and ranting at yourself for being such a fool and a coward. Now, however, there was a single thought in your head, crystallized after you realized just how badly you had fucked up.

First, you realized, the book wasn't important. Well, it was, but honestly, Melanie hadn't even really destroyed it. You could easily find a bookstore or something and have the binding be redone. Even now it just looked like two separate books which missed a cover each. Given enough time, the damage might progress to the point where they fell apart, but that would take awhile. The real problem was you.

You didn't quite remember when it started, but Melanie, Lauren, and Bella had been bullying you for quite a while. It made sense of course. They were the three glamorous and popular girls, while you were the quiet, bookish girl who hid in libraries and read all day. Not that that was a bad thing, of course, but there was a reason cliches existed. That had to stop. You were sick and tired of being pushed around, of being laughed at and humiliated. And now that they had escalated from simple taunts and insults to actual vandalism? It was time to get your shit together.

You sighed heavily as you turned one last corner to come face to face with your home. IT was a big building, three stories high and built out of old red brick that only avoided crumbling with copious amounts of faith and luck. You pushed open the front door, wincing as it screeched like a dying cat. Inside, you paused to take a look around.

The building was separated into four levels, each with a different tenant, and a middling set of oaken stairs connecting them. The first, strangely, was actually a shop rather than residence, owned by an old asian woman named Ami. She was… a bit wacky, but you had always liked her, especially when she kicked pushy customers out of her shop with some sort of weird kung-fu. It was highly amusing to waaatch cocky gang-bangers get their asses handed to them by a cranky grandma. Sometimes, living in the seedier parts of town had benefits.

You gave a small smile to Ami as you passed her front door, letting your eyes linger on the wares inside for a moment. Most of them looked like cheap knock-offs, copies of ancient relics from all over the world, but a few actually looked like they might be real. You didn't linger long, however, quickly making your way up the stairs to the third floor. The second and fourth were occupied by other families, usually, and Ami lived in her shop as far as you knew, so you and your mother had the entire floor to yourselves.

"Hey Mom, I'm home!" You called out as you entered, unsure of whether you would receive an answer, before dropping your bag by the door and kicking your shoes off. The next moment, however, a beautiful woman with soft black hair and twinkling blue eyes came out of the small doorway that led to the kitchen, smiling softly.

"Hello, honey. How are you?" You grinned at the softly spoken words, stepping forward to wrap her in a warm hug. It looked like today was one of her good days.

"I'm good, Mom. You?" You asked as she stepped back and patted your head softly.

"I'm just fine." Your mom said, before returning to the kitchen. You followed, sitting at the small wooden table to watch as she started working. "Dinner should be ready by the time your father gets home." In an instant, the smile slid off your face, and you winced. Of course, it had been too good to be true. Always, you hoped, and always, your dreams were crushed.

"Mom…" You started, but stopped when she paused and turned to look at you curiously. You didn't want to do this, didn't want to bring her world crashing down. But you had to. It was unhealthy to let her go on, and the longer you waited, the worse it would get. "Mom, Dad's not coming home." At first, she didn't seem to understand your words. Her head cocked to the side, curious.

"What do you mean, honey? Of course your father is coming home. He'll be here within the hour." Again, you winced, closing your eyes so you didn't have to look at your mom's face. You could see it already, the hint of hysteria hiding behind her eyes, and the fragile smile she wore that looked like it could shatter with the slightest shift.

"Mom…" You struggled to find the strength to speak. This… it hurt. It hurt every time you had to come home and tell your mom the truth. Sometimes, you wondered if her bad days weren't actually better. At least then you didn't have to feel the guilt and pain as it tried to tear your heart to shreds. "Dad's dead Mom. He's been dead for a long time." There was silence. For a long, _long_ moment, you sat there, eyes closed and barely breathing. You could almost hear the fear in it, the disbelief. You wanted to sigh, but held it in, afraid to break the peace.

"No." Your mom finally broke the silence, and you breathed in sharply at the sound of her voice. It was harsh, and so very cold that you feared it might freeze your blood solid. Carefully, you opened your eyes to look at her. She was standing in the same place, her face dead, and you almost wanted to close your eyes again. "No, I don't believe you."

"Mom-" You tried, standing, but you were cut off as a plate flew past your head like a bullet, forcing you to duck.

'NO!" She screamed as the ceramic dish shattered, and you bit back a curse. IF she was throwing things, then she had just gone from good to very, _very_ bad. You kicked the chair you had been seated in back to give you space and stood back up warily.

"Mom, calm down." You said, raising your hands as if to surrender, but again you were forced to duck as another dish, a cup this time, soared towards you. You sidestepped, letting it past, before darting forward as fast as you could. You crashed into her just as she picked up a dark red appliance you recognised as the toaster.

"Let me go!" Your mom screamed, dropping her weapon and thrashing wildly as you tried to grab hold of her arms. They flailed, fighting to escape your hands, until one caught you across the cheek. You flinched, pain from your earlier meeting with the school's rooftop flaring, and the crazed woman beneath you took the chance to escape. She darted up and away, grabbing a chair as she went and planting herself in the doorway.

"Mom, please, let's just talk about this, okay?" You begged, rising slowly and taking a step forwards. You stopped, however, as she snarled at you, her face twisted into a vicious caricature.

"I don't know who you are, but you're not my daughter. My girl is sweet, kind. She doesn't tell such terrible lies." You froze, snapping your mouth shut as bile tried to climb its way up your throat. You had heard the words before, more times than you could count, but they always hurt. They tore at you, a reminder once again that your mother was no longer whole.

"Mom, I swear, I'm not going to hurt you. Please, put down the chair." For a moment, you prayed it might work. A flash of something, some hint of understanding, but an instant later, it was gone. Her grip tightened, and you just barely managed to drop before the chair took your head off as it soared past. There was a crack, the sound of wood splintering, and when next you looked up, your mother was gone. You heard the faint sound of a door slamming shut, and sighed. She must have locked herself in her room, which meant she wouldn't be coming out again until tomorrow, at the latest.

"I hate it when that happens." You muttered to yourself as you stood, casting a glance at the wreckage. Two dishes and a chair. It wasn't too bad, considering. At least she didn't get you thrown out of the a sigh, you set about cleaning up the mess, before finishing the meal she had been making. It was an old one, familiar, and you managed it easily, taking your share before putting the rest in the fridge. Then, finally, you grabbed your bag from where you left it and went to your room.

The bedroom was a simple thing, with a twin-sized mattress shoved against the wall, a cluttered desk for doing homework and using the ancient computer resting upon it, and a small bookcase. You crashed on the bed, sighing heavily. It was always terrifying when you mom snapped like , she was just angry, drinking heavily and ranting about the unfairness of the world. Others, she just denied everything, hiding fearfully whenever you tried to push. But the forgetfulness, and the fury that came after when you insisted on the truth… It made you wonder if she would ever truly heal.

Letting out a groan, you pushed the worries and fears aside, forcing yourself to stand up and walk over to the bookcase. Idly, you let your finger trail over the numerous titles, ticking each one off in your mind as you remembered the many stories of fantasy and adventure. When it landed on an empty spot, however, beside two siblings, you stopped, struggling to fight back a sudden welling of , you reached over to where you had left your bag and opened it, pulling out the two halves of The Return of the King. You carefully pressed them together, and then slid it into its place, before rocking back on your heels as memories assaulted you.

The book had been your father's. His favorite, in fact, and one you could remember him reading almost all the time. The Trilogy were, as he put it, 'the pinnacle of literature, and a truly powerful tale.' When the uniformed man showed up at your doorstep with a consolation medal, that book had been held in his other hand. Supposedly, your father asked his CO to return it to your mother if anything happened to him. When she didn't take it, you did.

Again, you crashed onto the bed, shoving the painful memories away and wiping at your eyes. Crying wouldn't change the past, as much as you might wish it. Your father was dead, your mother a broken wreck of denial, and you had bullying issues. Two of those things you could do nothing about. The third, however… You sat up on your bed, a grim smile twisting at your lips. You had options. One of them _had_ to work.

XXX

 **1) Go to the bookstore. Your first priority was fixing your father's book, and besides, being a nerd was nothing to be ashamed about. Perhaps a good book might help you figure out how to deal with the trio.**

 **2)Ask Ami to teach you kung-fu. If the trio tries anything next time, you could always knock them on their asses. Maybe that would get them to leave you alone. Besides, history has always been a passion of yours, and those artifacts might be cool to look at.**

 **3)Dig through your closet for something nice. Those bitches wanted to challenge you by mentioning the dance. Well, perhaps you could send a message that you weren't scared by crashing the party. If nothing else, it would be a dramatic entrance.**


	2. Chapter 2

)Go to the Bookstore. **+1 Wisdom**

As the decision crystallized in your mind, you sat up, eyes latching onto the shelf of books. Your father's book- and his memory-were important to you, and you couldn't help but feel the the state it was in symbolized your own fragile life. You needed to fix things before you were too late.

As a spark of determination rose up within you, you stood and walked over to the case, carefully sliding out the book. With one last glance around the room, you sighed, and walked out, careful not to disturb your tried to ignore the loud sobs and murmured denials as you walked past.

The bookstore was a familiar one, a small, cozy thing that sat just a few blocks away from your apartment. From the front you couldn't see much through the thick clouded glass of the windows, and the only recognizable trait was an old faded word missing most of its letters etched into the you opened the door, however, all of that was swept away by a powerful sense of nostalgia and comfort.

The shop's insides could not be more different. The scent of wisdom and knowledge hung heavy in the air, recognizable by the musk of parchment and leather. The room was lit by candles, scattered about as they cast a warm glow all around them where they sat on small round tables and balanced precariously on the top of bookcases. The place was empty of people for the most part, with only a tall, scraggly boy possessing fiery red hair and a disturbing number of freckles lounging behind the counter looking bored.

"Hello, and welcome to McNauley's." The boy said tiredly, glancing up from the magazine he was reading. When he saw you, however, he perked up slightly,a hint of interest coming to his eye. "Jenna! How are you?"

"Fine, Shaun." You muttered, trying to avoid eye contact. Shaun McNauley had an unhealthy fascination with his own attractiveness, and testing it out on practically anything with legs. As a long-time customer, you were well-acquainted with the older boy's horrible flirting and had no desire to deal with it today. "I came to get a book repaired." You held up the two torn halves, wincing when Shaun's eyes widened.

"Right, I'll go get my father then. He'll fix you right up" He said, moving with an impressive speed towards the back room. You weren't surprised; Old man McNauley was the one who usually handled repairs, not to mention Shaun must have been shocked at the sheer level of damage. You had always been one to take care of your books. Luckily, that meant it wasn't long until he returned with the older man trailing along behind him.

"Ah, Miss Law. It is good to see you." You smiled at the warm voice of McNauley, happy memories springing to life at its sound. He was an older man, with grey starting to edge into his fiery hair and the lines of long years smiling stretched across his face. The age did not lessen his presence, however. McNauley stood tall as he walked towards you, powerfully built with a lithe body that spoke of his military history. Dressed in a dark suit and holding a well-crafted cane topped by a dragon's head, the proud man with twinkling blue eyes looked more like a well-aged gentleman than a shopkeeper.

"Hi, Mr. McNauley." you greeted, tilting your head in respect. He smiled, and did the same, before tapping lightly with his cane and turning serious.

"So, what is it that has brought you to my little realm, Miss Law? Surely you have not stopped by just for a chat." Your lips twitched at the humor in McNauley's voice, memories of long hours spent drinking tea and simply talking flooding your mind. McNauley had been one of the few to grant you comfort after your father died. He had, in fact, served with the man, for a time. But it had been years since the last time you simply visited, and it would be at least another day.

"No, sorry." You answered, smiling apologetically. "I… had an accident, with a book, and needed it repaired." Again, you held up the torn halves, handing them over when he gestured.

"The Return of the King." McNauley murmured as he ran his hands over the front cover, a small frown stealing onto his face. "You are normally very careful with this tome, as I remember. What happened?" You winced, looking away. McNauley knew how important the book was to you, and to your father. The look of disappointment in his eyes twisted the knife already buried in your heart from your failure.

"I tripped." You lied, struggling to keep your voice level. You didn't want to. It would be so easy to spill, to tell Mr. McNauley and his son all about the three bitches and what they had done, but… McNauley would destroy them. You knew he saw you as family; a daughter, even. And hidden under the genial old man persona was a soldier who had been to war, and would stop at nothing to protect his family. But if he dealt with the three, you would never get the chance to stand up for yourself. "I was reading at the time, and landed awkwardly."Even as the words came slipping out of your mouth, you knew McNauley didn't believe them. For a long time, the old man gazed at you searchingly. You met him, however, with a steel you hadn't quite been sure you possessed, and after several long seconds, he sighed.

"As you will." McNauley said, before waving to the reset of the shop dismissively. "Feel free to browse while you wait. This may take awhile." You felt something squeeze inside you as you heard the heavy disappointment in his voice. Before you could say anything, however, he was gone, striding away without a glance backwards and leaving you to stand with Shaun awkwardly.

"So… you free tonight?" Shaun asked after several seconds of silence. Flinching at the sudden sound, you frowned and walked away, throwing your response over your shoulder.

"No."

XXX

The shelves were silent as you lost yourself within them, blissfully so. You trailed your finger lightly over the titles of their contents, struggling to distract you from the gnawing guilt in your stomach. You hated lying to McNauley. Just as he saw you as a daughter, you saw him as a father figure. It was even worse since he always _knew_. WIthout fail, the ex-soldier sensed any untruth passing your lips, and didn't hesitate to show his disappointment, as shown by his brusque dismissal. Shaun being Shaun hadn't helped, either.

Sighing, you pushed those thoughts away, locking them in the back of your mind as best you could, and lifted a book from the shelf. It was familiar, an old tale of knights, dragons, and wise old wizards that you had fallen asleep to more than once. Even as you opened it gently and ran your fingers over the aging parchment within, you couldn't help the small smile that curved your lips. It reminded you of younger times, simpler ones, when you could dream of those kinds of stories. You had always fancied yourself a decent wizard.

 _Ting-ting._ The sudden sound of a bell ringing shocked you out of your reverie, and you snapped the book in your hands shut from the surprise even sa you drew in a sharp breath. For several seconds, you stood still, trying to calm yourself. When your breathing finally evened, however, you leaned your head around the bookshelf you were behind curiously to look at the front of the shop. What you saw there both surprised and confused you.

The man standing at the counter across from Shaun was not McNauley's usual sort of customer. With short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that burned like cold fire, he had a terrifying aura around him despite his young age. The strangest thing about him, however, aside from the scowl he was giving Shaun, was his clothing. The man almost looked like he was going to a fancy party, With a dark suit that hugged his chiseled body and a snowy white fedora to match.

"Good afternoon. I am here to speak to Elder McNauley." The man's voice was a smooth, rich tenor as he addressed Shaun, but there was a tautness to it, a cool disdain that instantly had you narrowing your eyes. Shaun's reaction, unsurprisingly, was similar as he answered, frowning.

"My father hasn't gone by that title in years. Who are you?" As soon as the wrods left Shaun's mouth, you knew they had been the wrong thing to say. The stranger's eyes sharpened, and he took a short, sharp step forward. The air seemed to chill as he locked gazes with Shaun and his mouth tightened until it was nothing more than a thin line.

"That, is none of your business. I will deal with the old man, not some whelp who thinks his bite is worse than his bark." For a second, there was silence as the two boys stared at each other, a silent conversation burning in the air between them. As a flare of rage shot through your body, you pondered interrupting them. Yes, Shaun was an ass. Yes, there were times you wished you could smack some sense into him, preferably at the end of a baseball that didn't give this jerk the right to just walk into a shop and start insulting people. Before you could step forward, however, Shaun finally looked away, jerking his head to the side with an irritated _tsk._

"Fine, I'll go get him. Stay here and try not to kill anybody." You stared in shock as the redhead turned and walked away, muttering a string of choice curses. For the next several minutes, the shop was silent as you struggled to understand what had just happened. You couldn't quite believe Shaun had just _left_ like that. The McNauley's were prideful men, who never took a slight, perceived or otherwise, without returning it three-fold, at least. To see one of them be so casually brushed aside, and then slink off like a beat dog, just didn't compute in your head. It was impossible.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Chase McClaire."McNauley's voice, cold in a way you hadn't heard in years, snapped you out of your mild panic attack, and your eyes shot open wide as you once again took in the scene at the , as it appeared his name was, had been looking around the shop boredly as he stood, with only the slightest spark of interest in his eyes. Now, however, he had snapped to attention and was turning baleful eyes on the old shopkeeper. That, however, wasn't what caught your attention the most. No, that particular honor belonged to McNauley himself.

The elder redhead was angry, in a way you had never seen him before. Utter fury radiated off McNauley's form as he glared at Chase, his eyes frozen into shards of blue eyes. His lips, so used to a cheerful smile, were pale, hard lines set in a cast of iron. You could even see his muscles coiling under his clothing, tensed and ready to leap into action at any second as McNauley's battle instincts, still sharp from his days of war, teetered on the edge of snapping.

"Elder McNauley." Chase's voice, surprisingly, was nothing but cordial as he tilted his head to the older man in greeting, though even you could see a slight wariness about his eyes. "It has been a long time."

"Not long enough." McNauley spat out, taking a short step forward. Almost instantly, Chase reacted, shifting backwards to match as he too tensed. "What are you here for, boy?"

"The Liber Judicii." His answer was steady, but you could tell even from where you were hiding that Chase was struggling to keep calm as he stared down McNauley. You weren't surprised really, even amidst the confusion you were feeling as you watched the conversation progress. The man could be terrifying when he wanted to be. To your undying surprise, however, it was _McNauley_ who took a step back this time, stiffening in shock.

"You know I can't-" He started, only for Chase to suddenly cut him off with an iron tone.

"He's back." In an instant, McNauley's words died on his lips, and your own thougts stalled hard as you witnessed something you had never thought to see. McNauley _paled._

"What-what did you say?" The old man, who normally was so fierce and strong, practically squeaked out the words, tongue flicking out to lick suddenly dry , somehow, looked little better, though not from mere fear. Now, you could see an overwhelming sense of sheer terror in his eyes, even as the younger man visibly tried to calm himself.

"I said he's back. And he's coming for all three of the Gifts."McNauley paled even further, and it took all your self control not to freak out as you watched the extremely terrifying conversation progress. You had no idea what was happening, but obviously, McNauley knew this Chase person, whoever he was. That in itself wasn't unbelievable, if a little surprising. He barely looked out of high school, if that. And yet, whatever they were talking about had scared McNauley. Nothing scared the old man, not for as long as you remembered knowing him. It was enough to make sure you shut up and continued listening as Chase spoke up again. "I've been ordered to collect the Liber and move it to a more secure sight."

"Instantly, the terror faded from McNauley's countenance, and you almost breathed a sigh of relief. Now the man you recognized was coming to the forefront, the old soldier with a will of iron who took no shit from anyone as his features hardened into a vicious scowl.

"Now listen here, boy. There is a _reason_ was was named guardian." You almost smirked as Chase flinched. Oh yeah, that was definitely the traditional McNauley 'bullshit' tone.

"I don't doubt that." Chase replied, and now you could hear sas he struggled to keep his voice steady, this time from anger. "But you don't realize just how severe this situation is. _All_ the Gifts are being recalled, and he's making his move _tonight._ I don't have time to argue with you." And just like that, McNauley was back to pale, though this time he managed to keep most of the fear from his features. You shuddered at the sight. Whoever this person was that McNauley seemed so terrified of must have been bad news if the old shopkeeper was scared of him.

"Alright." McNauley finally grumbled after a long moment of silence, glaring at give me a few moments to get it. And no," The man said suddenly as Chase started to move forward, cutting him off. "You stay here. I won't have all my security breached for this." You could tell Chase wanted to argue, but he kept silent, and you watched McNauley's retreating back intently. You had no idea what was going on, but whatever it was, it was bad, and your favorite shopkeeper was deeply involved. You had to fight your own curiosity back as you waited for the old man to return. You had a feeling that this conversation was meant to be private, and had nothing to do with you. As much as that might grate, whatever mess McNauley was in had terrified the old man himself. You had no business trying to involve yourself with something like that, especially considering your own problems at the moment. Thankfully, the old man returned quickly, and you turned your attention back to the conversation just as he handed Chase a thick leather-bound book.

"And thus I pass on my responsibility, and place this weight upon your shoulders. Bear it well, Child of the Path." You blinked as McNauley intoned the distinctly ceremonial sounding words. A moment later, Chase nodded and responded with his own.

"I accept the burden, and shall guard it with my life and soul, blood and bone, heart and mind. Fare thee well, Elder, and may your path be brighter than before."Even as you struggled to understand what the two men were saying, Chase nodded again, spun in a tight circle, and walked out the door of the shop with little more decorum. With him went the tense air that had pervaded the shop since he first entered it, and you almost collapsed at tis absence. Before you could collect yourself any, however, you heard a heavy sigh.

"You can come out now, Jenna. The show is over."You jerked at the sound of McNauley's voice, before scrambling out of the shelves towards the counter sa they registered.

"I swear, I wasn't trying to-" You babbled out, attempting to explain yourself well enough that McNauley wouldn't beat you black and blue for spying, but cut off when the elder raised a calm hand.

"It is fine, Jenna." He said in a tired voice, smiling gently at you. "The conversation did not concern you, but it does no harm to have heard it. Put it from your mind, and all will be forgotten." At this, you nodded eagerly despite knowing that it would never be so easy. Still, you smiled and agreed as best you could.

"Of Course, Mr. McNauley. It was none of my business, anyways." The man's smile widened a touch more, and he nodded contentedly. "Good. Now, I believe I have something for you." ALmost without warning, the old man slid something over to you, and as soon as your eyes landed on it, they widened.

"My book!" You gasped, grabbing it and pulling it close. And indeed, in your hands was a small tome bound in thick leather, with ' _The Return of the King'_ embossed upon its front. With a fierce sense of joy you clasped it to your chest, beaming at McNauley. "Thank you, a thousand times over."He did not speak, merely nodding lightly and smiling once again at your reaction as you searched frantically for your you tried to hand him the money-his usual fair for such things-McNauley placed a thick hand upon yours and closed it, pushing the payment away.

"For this, child, I am glad to help. Just don't go tripping anymore, understood?" Instantly, your face was consumed with a bright crimson crush as you looked away, just barely remembering your excuse for the book's destruction.

"I won't." You swear with utter conviction, and for a moment, you see the light of surprise in his eyes. It disappeared a moment later however, to be replaced with a broad smile.

"I'll hold you to it. Off you go then, I'm sure a young woman like you has better things to do than stand here and gab with an old man like me." McNauley shooed you away with light flapping motions, and grudgingly you complied, moving to the door. Just before exiting however, you grinned, shaking your head.

"Never."

XXX

 _You were lost. A grove of trees surrounded you, ancient and creaking as they swayed in the wind. You stumbled through them, desperately searching for something. Then, just as you began to despair, you burst from the thick brush into a clearing, flailing in surprise._

 _The clearing was strange, you thought. Circling its edges stood seven massive stone thrones, weathered by long years and covered in intricate carvings. Seated upon each, their eyes settling on you with unerring accuracy, were seven people, each as diverse and unbelievable as their surroundings._

" _Ah. It would seem you have finally decided to join us." The first spoke from where he sat directly across from you, and unbidden your gaze was drawn to him. He was an old man, withered and bent as he clutched a gnarled staff of pale bark, but his eyes were kind as he smiled at you. Draped across his form was a robe of dark, shimmering material that glittered with tiny lights like stars in a night sky. His throne, in contrast, shone a pale shimmer of moonlight, soft and inviting._

" _You make it sound like she had a choice." A gruff voice barked out, and you turned your head to find its owner. This man could not be more different from the first if he tried, you thought numbly as you took him in. Seated upon a throne that looked as if it had been drenched in blood, he was tall and broad, with his features cloaked in a heavy suit of steel armor colored to match. Leaning against his throne was a massive golden axe that gleamed dimly in the soft light filtering through the trees._

" _Where-where am I?" You manage to stutter out, despite the shock and confusion closing your throat. You remembered returning home, falling asleep, and then… Nothing. The next thing you could remember was stumbling through the woods, just minutes before finding this clearing._

" _Safe, child. You are safe." A third replied softly, and this time you couldn't help the strangled gasp that escaped your throat. The speaker, a woman for once, was beautiful. Tall and graceful as she reclined luxuriously in the golden throne that matched her long hair, her skin seemed to glow like a dying sun. She was clothed in a brilliant white dress that hugged every curve she had, and her smile was that of a goddess as she looked at you with unbelievable warmth. That smile disappeared, however, when the person seated next to her spoke up in a hollow, rasping whisper._

" _For now, at least. We all know it will not last." You were forced to suppress a shudder as you turned your eyes to this speaker, though whether it was of terror or pleasure, you could not tell. She was… beautiful, was a word, but not the one that first jump to mind. This woman, shrouded in a cloak and cowl that seemed to be cut from living darkness, was a terrible sight to behold. Her emerald eyes glittered with venomous amusement as they rested upon you, and yet you could not help but notice the terrible sadness that lurked behind it. Her smile, as well, seemed to be filled with just as much grief as sharp, vicious teeth. Her hair, unsurprisingly, was as dark as her throne._

" _What do you mean by that?" You asked, your voice shaking. Surprisingly, any answer was cut off by a sudden laugh, low and cackling with madness._

" _Oh, oh, the creature does know how to ask, doesn't she? What indeed? Perhaps we should throw a party!" Almost afraid to look, you turned once again. This person, ironically, did not surprise you, so much as you were too confused as to what_ should _be shocking the most. His throne, more a motley assortment of randomly colored blocks and-were those fish?- matched his wild features and crazed smile to a tee. Everything from the bucket on his head to the whoopee cushion he was brandishing towards you with undisguised glee spoke of utter chaos, and the less said about his clothes, the better._

" _Enough, brother, do not scare her. You know better." A pale, slender hand struck out from beside the mad being to slap him upside his head, and without prompting your eyes traced up its length, down the arm connected to it, and all the way back to its owner's body. Once there, you were again struck speechless as you stared. Seated upon the pristine white throne carved out of marble was a woman who looked remarkably similar to your mother. Her demeanor, however, was one you had never seen upon the insane woman in your life. She sat erect, a stern expression on her face as she pursed her lips in disappointment. She wore armor, lighter and slimmer than the warrior's as it hugged her curves, and colored a majestic burnished gold that shone brightly. In her free hand was held an equally brilliant golden spear._

" _What is going on?" You asked, your desperation finally breaking free as you stared around the circle of thrones. You were so lost, and confused. Who were these people, where were you, and why? Nothing made sense anymore._

" _You are dreaming." A coy voice said, little more than a whisper as it slipped into your mind, and almost fearfully you turned to the seventh, and last, of the throned men and women. She was young, more girl than a woman, and as her lips stretched in a playful smirk and her emerald eyes sparkled, you were struck by her youthful exuberance. Flaming red hair, wild and proud, cascaded down her back in loose curls as she lounged sideways on her throne of glass with one long, pale leg thrown over the armrest. You watched as she popped a grape into her mouth from the bowl beside her, grinning widely at you. "Of course, that won't last long, but then the_ fun _begins."_

" _Jenna Law." You were drawn from your gaping to look at the first of the seven once again, his kindly blue eyes glimmering as he smiled softly at you. "You are confused, and that is understandable. But we brought you here to deliver a warning, and do not have time for explanations." For a long, long moment, you stared at the elder. You could feel the gazes of the others upon you as your gazes locked, but you pushed them away, sensing that to allow yourself to be distracted at this moment would be_ bad _. You gulped loudly._

" _What is the warning?" Your voice was surprisingly steady as you asked the question, with a calm resolve you didn't quite feel. It seemed enough, however, and you were rewarded with a broader grin._

" _The Gift has chosen you, child, and for that, you should be honored. But with every boon there is a cost; When you awaken, you will be in grave danger." As you listened to the old man, you couldn't help but wonder if you had well and truly gone insane. All of this was… so_ confusing _. You weren't stupid; far from it, actually. But even if this weren't just a weird dream, you did not like the sound of the his words._

" _And so what? Am I supposed to go on some epic quest to save the world?" You spat out, venomous sarcasm coating your words. You felt a measure of satisfaction well up as he flinched, but it was stomped out by another voice interrupting before you could say anymore._

" _You will fight." Your head snapped to the side to glare at the armored woman, but the expression was ignored with stoic grace. "Whatever you choose, you_ will _fight. Our warning is thus. If you wish to live, keep the book safe. It is your shield against a world far more vast and terrifying than you know."_

" _What do you mean? What book?" You demanded, taking a furious step towards the woman. You got no further, however, before the one dressed in black spoke again, cutting you off._

" _We grow short on time. Farewell, Jenna Law. I pray you live through the night." You opened your mouth to speak, sharp words on the tip of your tongue, but a moment later she waved a hand, and dark, inky blackness swept out from it. You blinked, stepping back, but it moved far faster than you could see, and a second later your entire world was consumed._

XXX

You gasped awake, cold sweat staining your brow as your body launched into a sitting position. For a long second, you sat there, breathing deeply as you struggled to calm your racing heart.

"Fucking hell." You muttered to yourself, finally managing to draw in a semi-deep breath. That dream… you flinched as the memories flooded your mind. It had been so vivid, so clear, you couldn't help but wonder if it had been true. It was impossible, of course, dreams were simply dreams. And even if it had, what would you have done about it? Those people had been more than confusing, and the only coherent thing you remembered them saying was something about being in danger. You snorted, about to push the thought away, but then you froze as something caught your ear. A faint, whispering sound, coming from deep in the shadows of your room. "Who's there? Mom?"

You didn't see the thing when it came. One moment, you were sitting on your bed, breathing heavily as you struggled to stifle the primal fear rising within you, and the next, something struck your throat, tightening around it in an iron grasp. An instant later you were slammed against the wall with inhuman strength, eliciting a gasp from you as pain blossomed in your skull.

"The book! Where is the book!?" You flinched at the hissing voice in your ear, useless as it was. You were held helpless against the cold plaster by some sort of shadowy beast, a living darkness that shifted and writhed as it tightened its grip.

"I don't… know what… you're talking about!" You gasp out scrabbling at the dark hand around your throat. The shadow didn't respond to your efforts; instead, it pushed what looked like its head up against your cheek, and you shivered as something cold and wet touched you.

"Liessss," the voice whispered as it made loud snuffling sounds, and suddenly you felt a desperate urge to vomit. The thing was _sniffing_ you. Revulsion crawled up your throat at the realization. "You knows where it is, I smell it upon you." The grip tightened even more, and finally, you collapsed limply in its grasp as your strength faded.

 _Whoomph._ For the third time that night, you found yourself wondering just how fortunes could shift so swiftly. One moment, you were collapsing in the shadow-beast's grip, consigning yourself to your fate. The next however, the door to your room was crashing open as if someone had run a battering ram into it. Behind was a sight you were both terrified and unbelievably relieved to see.

" _Lumens incidens_!" Chase's shout, in a language you didn't recognize, rang in your ears, and you watched in amazement and surprise as a blinding flash of light burst from his hand. It struck the monster, and a piercing shriek echoed loudly as it released you. Gasping, you collapsed back onto your bed one hand flying up to rub your throat. You kept your eyes open however, and focused upon the two beings who had invaded your room.

The shadow beast hissed in pain, its anger apparent as it seemed almost to unfold until it filled nearly half the room. Chase-for yes, it was the young man you had seen conversing with McNauley- didn't even flinch at the sight. Instead, he held out a hand as if to be handed something, before intoning more words in what you could almost swear was latin. "Ensium lux." Your eyes widened as, instead of Chase appearing like a nerdy idiot, he was suddenly cast in sharp relief, and a sword of pure light formed in his hand.

"You shall die, little mage." The creature hissed, but you thought you could see a sudden uneasiness in its shifting form. Indeed, it seemed almost to recoil from the blade and its surrounding light. Chase didn't seem bothered either as he took a confident step forward and grinned.

"We'll see." he stated calmly, and even you quailed at the piercing fire that burned within his gaze. The shadow-beast, however, became enraged, throwing itself forward. You watched, with wide eyes, as the apparently not-a-normal-guy sidestepped with the ease of long practice and swept his blade up in a vicious arc that bisected the monster. The was a scream, even louder and more piercing than the one before, and the next second it burst into a cloud of shadowy substance that dispersed almost immediately.

"What was that?" You asked into the ensuing silence after a long moment of staring at the shadowy remains and Chase standing like an avenging angel in the middle of your bedroom. As soon as the words left your mouth, he turned his piercing gaze upon you.

"A demon." He answered shortly, and with an almost thoughtless flick of his hand, dispelled the light blade. He took a step forward, and suddenly, you were wishing the light was still there, even if it cut cut shadow-demons. Chase looked far more terrifying with the shadows obscuring most of his face. "Where is the book?"

The sudden request, so reminescent of the demon's, had you flinching. You looked up, meeting Chase's gaze. "What book?' You asked, just barely keeping the quaver out of your voice. You honestly had no idea what was going on anymore, and everybody seemed to be obsessed with this damn book. What was so important about it, and why did everybody think you had it?

"The book." Chase replied irritably, turning away to scan your room. A muttered word summoned a small orb of light in his hand, and you suppressed a sigh of relief as he raised it to look at your bookshelf. "The book Elder McNauley was supposed to fix for you." Suddenly, your eyes narrowed, and you rose from the bed to move beside him, catching his free hand as it trailed the leather spines.

"Why do you care about my book?" You asked with narrowed eyes, hostility dripping from every word. Chase, for his part, froze, before turning a wintry glare upon you.

"One, do not touch me." The words were even, disturbingly so, and yet there was something so sharp about them that you almost feared you would bleed as he jerked his wrist free. And two, I care because it is not _your_ book. It is mine."

You stared as the man turned from you once again, resuming his path along the book spines until suddenly his finger stopped, and he breathed a small "Aha!" A moment later, your father's copy of The Return of the King was in his hands, and you blinked as ran one over the cover thoughtfully.

"Hey, that's _mine_." You said after several seconds as your brain finally caught up to what was happening, and you lunged for the book. Almost as if he were expecting it, however, Chase simply shifted, moving the book out of your grasp.

'I can see where you would think that." he said cooly, not even looking up at you. "But you would be wrong."

"Oh yeah?" You challenged, making another grab for the book. "That was my father's book. He _gave_ it to me." That, it seemed, got his attention, and the infuriating man glanced up, a hint of a smile quirking his lips.

"I'm sure he did. Or at least, he would have, if this were actually the book you had repaired." That brought you up short, and you froze, staring at Chase.

"What do you mean by that?" You asked, a dangerous edge slipping into your tone. As you watched, the man's smile stretched into a devious smirk, and he flipped the book open to a random page. Morbidly curious, you leaned over, scanning it. Surprisingly, he was right. Where Tolkien's iconic literature should have been, you were instead faced with a full page of archaic calculations and symbols that made no sense to you. As a cold burning settled in your gut, you glanced up at Chase, quirking an eyebrow. "What the hell is this."

"The Liber Judicii." He smirked at your befuddled expression, and you felt an ever-growing urge to punch the man in the face. "It is an arcane tome of unimaginable power, one which many beings-including that demon I just killed, which you're welcome by the way- would slaughter entire nations to get ahold of. And you had it sitting of a shelf to collect dust."

"But-but… how?" You stuttered, not quite able to believe what you were hearing. It was one thing, of course, to see the guy stab a creepy shadow thing with his awesome sword of light. It was, however, another thing entirely to think there were _more_ things like that out there in the big bad world. You hadn't even fully wrapped your head around the first bit, let alone your dream just before waking; and wasn't the Liber Judicii what he had asked McNauley for at the bookshop?

"SImple, really. McNauley thought he would be clever and pull a bait and switch with you. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, it didn't work, and now I'm stuck cleaning up his mess." As you stared at Chase, trying to process what he had just said, the man snapped the book closed and turned, stalking towards your room's door. "Now, I have a rather lot to do at the moment, so you be a good girl and stay here. I might come check on you later to make sure you're not dead." For a brief moment, you stood there staring after the man, too shocked to do anything, just before he stepped out, however, you ran forward, grabbing his arm and turning him.

"Wati!" You shouted, face red as a thousand thoughts ran through your head alongside your annoyance at being so casually dismissed. "How did the demon know where to find me?" You asked the first question that came to your mind. For a moment, you almost wanted to hit yourself. How was _that_ important? But you couldn't take it back, and so were orced to stand there, blushing furiously as Chase answered.

"Another demon possessed McNauley, I imagine." The man said almost flippantly, and your jaw dropped as you stared at him. Wait, what? "That's partly why I'm off to free him. If you don't want to die or be possessed as well, I suggest you stay here and _out of my way._ "The last few words were spat out harshly at you, and you recoiled from him as Chase tore his arm free of your grasp once again. Without another word he whirled and disappeared from your room, leaving you there to stare after him. Now what were you going to do?

 **1( Follow Chase. He knows what's going on, and you don't want to be left alone if another demon shows up again. Not to mention, McNauley might be in danger, and you can't just leave him like that.**

 **2(Stay. Chase knows what he's talking about, and it would be better to follow his orders. You might risk getting McNauley killed if you get in his way. Not to mention, your mother was helpless. If another demon came looking for you, she risked becoming demon food.**

 **XXX**

 **Alright, that's that. So, first, I would like to apologize for the delay on this. I've had a pretty hectic few weeks, and things have been difficult to keep track of. To make up for it though, I present an extra long chapter, yay!**

 **On to other news, I have decided that after this and one more chapter, I will be posting the character sheet for Jenna. So make good choices, and please, talk in the thread. I would love to hear your opinions on the stories and why you chose how you did. Have fun, and don't forget to vote!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, let's get this show on the road! First things first, a bit of a warning. This chapter is… well, it will be different. For one, the choice at the end of it will be very, and I do mean very, important. Unlike the last two, which merely started you on certain paths and can be, with sufficient effort, backtracked eventually, this one will quite likely define a good chunk of the story for a long time to come. So put some thought into this one, and please, for the love of god, actually vote. You have no idea how much it pains me to see that people have read the story, yet aren't willing to take the chance when they can and influence it, especially in this early stage when they have no excuses.**

 **Now, secondly, I have a question to pose to you, the readers, as a whole. This isn't exactly a choice, but it will affect the story in a big way, so I would like at least some input. As you can see by the title, this is a Marvel story, or more precisely, a marvel cinematic story. The only question is, should I try and write it as beginning before the first iron man(in which you would be able to experience and shape the Avengers from the very beginning) or after the first Avengers movie(In which you could explore an already extant world of mutants and powered people but have less solid direction). Whatever you decide, thank you for the input, and I look forward to writing more of this story! See ya!**

XXX

1( Follow Chase. He knows what's going on, and you don't want to be left alone if another demon shows up again. Not to mention, McNauley might be in danger, and you can't just leave him like that. **+1 Chaos**

 **Bonus:** But grab a Baseball Bat and Warm Clothes on your way out. **+1 Courage**

For a long moment, you were left to stare at your bedroom door, left in shock by the sudden wake of Chase McClaire's departure. You had no idea what to do. The man-boy?-came barging into your room, killed a demon, a _demon_ , casually brushed off your every question you had, and then disappeared after ordering you to stay like a good little doggie. The sheer gall, even more than the multitude of other things that you were trying very hard not to think about, took you aback utterly.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, you were brought out of your shocked reverie by the sound of a door slamming closed, and you jerked back to attention. Barely a moment passed before you were out the bedroom door, making your way after him. Who did this Chase guy think he was, anyways, ordering you around like that? Not to mention expecting you to sit back when McNauley, the man who was like a second father to you, might be in danger? Fuck that.

You got within feet of the door before freezing, struck by a thought. You were going after a demon, or something like it , at least. You had never been particularly religious, let alone superstitious, but you could still feel the icy grasp of terror that had gripped you as you faced down that shadow beast in your room, and feel the rawness where it had crushed your throat. Perhaps… perhaps it would be a good idea to go armed, rather than charging in half-cocked and unable to defend yourself.

Rummaging through the hall closet took a minute, but soon enough you had found a sturdy old bat, solid steel that made a nice meaty sound as you smacked it into your free hand. Smiling, you hefted the makeshift weapon over your shoulder and made for the door, grabbing a long, thick trench-coat on your way out. It was your dad's, from when he served, and you knew from experience that it could keep you warm in the cool April night.

Chase was gone by the time you finally made it downstairs, but you waved the annoyance away. He said he was going to McNauley's, to 'clean up his mess'. You knew the way better than him, likely, and would catch up soon enough. It was only a short way away after all. You did note, however, the light shining from Ami's shop on your way past, but You were gone a moment later, pushing it out of you mind. McNauley was your priority at the moment, and whatever you found when you made it to the bookstore, you couldn't afford distractions.

It was odd, traveling in the darkness. You daren't move faster than a brisk walk, for fear of attracting unwanted attention that may slow you more-this was New York City, after all, and even in the middle of the night there was noticeable traffic-and even then you found yourself hunching over with every step. You could almost feel the cold and the dark closing in, pressing down on top of you as illusory nightmares and imagined monsters stalked your every step. Once that night, a creature that should not exist attacked you, and you couldn't help but fear it would happen again. A small touch to the bat, however, hidden under your coat in an attempt at subtlety, and you felt your will crystallize, pushing the thoughts back. McNauley needed you, and fear had no place in your heart. Come what may, you were going to rescue the man, demons and monsters be damned.

Even as the thought coalesced in your mind, you found yourself stuttering to a stop as you stared ahead. There, right across the street from you, was McNauley's bookshop. It was not how you had left it earlier that day, however. Now, the modest building appeared to have become almost akin to the site of a warzone. There were cracks, wide and cruel, spread through the thick glass of the front window, and even as you watched a pulse of energy that shook the very earth beneath your feet stretched them even further. The walls were scorched and melted to slag at places, and the door hung off its hinges, creaking in the wind even as its warped and twisted frame glowed cherry-red with brilliant heat. The worst, however, was not to be found in the front of the building. Instead, you found your eyes focusing upon the play of light and shadow that shone from within its depths, each clash bringing another shudder to your very soul as power drifted over your skin. You could feel it, the warring energies, thick in the air as you breathed in and out. A scything chill bit deep into your mind, even as it was lit from within by blazing heat.

After what seemed like hours of standing and staring at the ruined wreck of a bookstore, you finally managed to pull yourself together, drawing a deep, shuddering breath, forcing your mind to focus. Surprisingly effortlessly you stepped forward, and the magics parted before you like the Red Sea before Moses. With every step you took forward you could feel something burn deep within you, an ember caught flame, and light and darkness bowed before your will. You ignored it, however. McNauley was your goal, and not even strange feelings could sway you from it. You pressed onwards, head held high and bat gripped tightly into one hand, descending into the demon's maw.

XXX

The shop was a mess. That was your first thought as you stepped warily through the doorway, glancing fervently around so as not to be caught off guard. There were books everywhere, strewn across the floor and torn to shreds or buried beneath toppled bookcases. Tables were upturned, chairs thrown haphazardly around the room and shattered into splintered messes, and even copious amounts of dust rained down from the roof as the battle shook it, with a piece of plaster and stone falling every once in a while.

Despite the atrocious state of McNauley's shop, however, your eyes were quickly drawn away, focusing instead on the two figures standing in its center, poised to clash at any moment. Chase, you expected, though still your eyes widened at his state. His hat, still worn even since that afternoon, was tilted askew, and a dark scorch mark marred its bill. His suit, as well, had seen better days, with long rents in the fabric from which dark lines of blood oozed. The young man did not seem fazed by his wounds, however. Indeed, he stood as strong and commanding as he had in your room, Icy blue eyes burning with a furious flame and golden light reflected from the two burning blades of raw energy writhing in his hands. Around him blazed an equally brilliant aura, shimmering with power and ferocity that stole your breath away.

In stark contrast to the image Chase painted, one of power, brilliance, and determination, the man across from him brought terror to your heart as you looked at him, viciously cold as it tore into you. McNauley was… different. He floated a few inches above the ground, his dark auburn hair slicked back into an oily shadow that writhed upon his skull like living snakes, hunger and evil radiating off it. Draped across his shoulders was a cloak of utter darkness, seemingly cut from the very fabric of the void itself. His eyes, equally dark, glittered as they rested upon Chase above the small confident smirk that twisted his face into a disgusting caricature of his usual smile. Icy shadows flowed around him in a hypnotic dance of death and despair, clashing with Chase's glowing aura every other second. You could swear you heard a high-pitched cackle, gleeful in its insanity, as you watched them flicker to and fro. What really made you shudder though was the long black blade, curved slightly and radiating an icy fear as if the devil himself were whispering in your ear. You had to bite back the scream that tried to claw its way into your throat as you stared at it, dark and terrible in its exquisite beauty.

"How quaint." You flinched as the thing wearing McNauley's skin-for that could not be the old man you knew so well, he could never appear so… monstrous-spoke, but the words were not directed at you, and you found yourself realizing you had just walked in on a conversation. "To think one of you pathetic humans could wield such power. It is an amusing concept."

"You can laugh when I tear your demonic heart out, you son of a bitch." Chase spat back in response, shifting to spit on the floor. You saw, out of the corner of your eye, his aura waver, but an instant later it solidified.

"Oh stop posturing, fool. I can see your pain, and your power wanes." Even as the creature spoke, You saw another flicker, and Chase shifted, wincing.

"Fuck you. I'm still standing." The demon's smirk widened as Chase took a step forward, his swords and aura flaring.

"Really? I wasn't aware." You saw it before him, and you tried to shout a warning, but the words lodged in your throat as it clenched shut, and you could only watch as the blow was struck. With a silent gesture from the demon his shadowy aura surged, crashing into Chase's own even as a crushing ball of darkness extinguished his blades as if they were never there. A moment later the golden aura of light and power fell as well, shattering under the weight of dark magic, and the man was thrown bodily across the room. You flinched as the sound of his body crashing into a wooden bookcase, still somehow leaning against the wall despite being surrounded by devastation, echoed through the room.

"Chase." You breathed, staring at the spot where he had collapsed. You heard a low groan, pained and tired, but no movement appeared. You took a step forward, thinking to run towards him, but before you could make it any further, The demon's gaze snapped over. You froze, fear crystallizing in your heart.

"Ah, and now the other rat comes scurrying out of her hole. I was wondering when you would appear."Wincing as the cold, cruel voice slithered over you, you drew in a sharp gasp of breath. Shadows pooled at your feet as the monster drifted over, glittering black eyes settled directly on your own. With every step, you felt your fear mounting higher and higher, and you unconsciously gripped the bat in your hands tighter.

"What the fuck are you?" You asked, shifting back a step as he finally came to a stop directly in front of you. Your voice quavered as you spoke, but speak you did, and your gaze remained steady as it met his. The demon, surprisingly, only laughed at your fragile courage.

"hah, so she has courage, does she? Very well." Without warning, McNauley's body dropped to the floor, and his hand shot out at blinding speed to catch your chin in an iron grip. As your eyes widened at the cold and clammy feeling of his skin, the demon tugged you forward sharply, leaning forward to whisper in your ear with a voice like slick oil. "Show me your secrets, Child."

XXX

 _It was dark. That was the first thought to cross your muddied mind as you floated in an empty abyss. The complete absence of light coiled around you, thick and tight like a warm blanket. You stayed there, looking around curiously and wondering what was going on._

 _The first shift was subtle, a barely seen flicker of motion that just barely caught your eye. The next, however, was less so. With a sound not unlike those you made in the morning when sunlight streamed through your windows and woke you, a small crack appeared in the never ending fabric of darkness and isolation. Dark blue and burning with power, it pulsed, and suddenly, you were elsewhere._

 _You sat at a desk, wood creaking with age under the weight of your scattered textbooks. Beside you, McNauley smiled kindly as he explained a complicated math problem, his blue eyes twinkling with love and mirth at your frustrated attempts. Underneath the pile a small, tome, thin and bound with plain leather like an ancient notebook, shimmered with starry blue light. An instant later, the tome vanished, and another crack opened, warm red light seeping through._

 _You stood before a grave, the weathered marble shining dimly in the dying light of evening. Behind you stood your mother, dead eyes blank as she stared into nothingness without a single emotion. Beside her was McNauley, a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder as he stared down at you. In his pocket, you could see the faint red glow of something just peeking out, bringing a strange warmth to your heart. With resolution, you wiped the tears from your eyes, not noticing the new crack of light, white and searing in its brilliance._

 _You stretched your hands yawning contentedly as the last rays of dawn pressed down upon you with cloying warmth. Beneath you lay a grassy knoll, vibrant and green in the morning light, and in your hands you clutched a tiny leather-bound book that glinted brightly in the sun, half-forgotten in the joy of sunbathing. McNauley had given it to you, extracting a half-hearted promise to read it sometime, but the words were in a language you couldn't understand. Already, your drowsy thoughts lingered on semi-plans to get him back for such a cruel prank, and you failed to notice the crack in reality beside you, black and writhing with darkness._

 _You lay in bed, a young girl with a tired expression on your face. It was dark, the window in your room shuttered closed to ward off the night cold, but somehow you felt comfortable, wrapped in the warm embrace of shadows and the whispers of night. Beside you, lit only by a small lamp that struggled to remain burning, McNauley sat, his smooth, soft voice rising and falling in a foreign cadence as he read from the small black book with funny symbols and strange words. Even as you felt sleep start to take you, you saw a small crack in the world open, a cacophony of colors and sounds you had no name for pouring forth._

 _You were dreaming. Or at least, it seemed that way with the flying cats and lions made of sea-foam. Beside you, a lightning bolt danced the tango with its fireball partner, and you slid out of the way carefully on a current of cotton-candy-flavored syrup. Below you, a small book flapped its way through the air on wings of living light, shifting and changing color with every moment as it screeched incoherently. You shook your head, trying to make sense of the senseless world, missing the crack of misplaced reality that spilled warm golden light like a tide of purity._

 _You walked down the dusty aisles, bookcases rising like towers on either side of did not fear, however. A deep contentment filled you as you held out a hand, fingers tracing the spines of each book in its proper place. Everything had a home, an order that you understood as inherently as your own mind. Absently, you hummed as a particular tome bumped under your touch, drawing your attention. Deep golden burnish lay over it, glimmering merrily in the dying light of evening. As you reached out a sliver of reality fell away behind it, emerald light shimmering into life._

 _You were taller now, older, a woman grown. All around you a lavish ball shone and spun and passed, twisting to your every whim. Here you laughed, here you danced, and here you whispered sweet nothings as the party drew long into the night and even further through day. Beauty, glamour, and wit rolled off you in waves as all the world played to your desires. And then…_

 _...nothing. Once again, you hung in the depth-less void, vast and empty. But you were not alone. All around you, there yet not, the seven thrones you remembered from your dream earlier in the night shimmered, dancing in and out of view with every moment passed._

 _"Do you understand now, Child, why you were chosen? Do you recognize the choices that lay before you?"The old man spoke, leaning heavily upon his throne as he stared at you grimly. For a moment, you found yourself at a loss for words under his withering gaze._

 _"I-I-" You stuttered, trying to think, let alone speak. Before you could gather yourself however, another voice intervened, harsh, cold, and laden with such power even the void seemed to bend to its will._

 _"Enough." You turned, eyes drawn inexorably to the speaker, and to your great surprise you found the dark woman of venom and spite, gaze not upon you but the man. "Enough. The Child suffers, and if we hold our hands she will perish before her time comes." For a long time, silence reigned as each of the assembled turned their eyes to the woman. She offered them no notice, deigning only to turn to you, her venomous eyes seeming to sharpen for a second as they fell upon your face._

 _"We will help you this once." Her words, softly spoken, gave you a measure of surprise, but before you could react, she continued. "We will help you, but do not expect such aid again. After today, you will walk your path, alone and without aid. What that path may be, will be yours to choose, but_ you _must choose. This chance comes at a cost. Do not waste it." You stared at the woman. Quite unable to believe what you were hearing. But you could not say a word, as your words swallowed themselves before they were spoken, and you were left silent. The next moment, everything flashed white, and you knew no more._

XXX

The world burst in a flare of pain and light as you returned to your body, sending you staggering. Through the flash, you could feel the demon in McNauley's skin flinch away from you, his grip falling from your chin with little effort. When finally you opened your eyes, blinking away the last spots of blindness, he was kneeling on the ground, Staring at you with an emotion you had yet to see on his face-shock.

"How?" He asked, voice raspy as it slithered up from his burnt and blasted throat. Much of him was in a similar state, you noted as he continued speaking, appearing almost as if someone had taken a blowtorch to his entire body. "How could you be be blessed by all seven?" For a short moment, you shook your head, trying to lose the disorientation that had consumed you for… well, the whole night, honestly. Finally, you simple decided to say fuck it. Will crystallizing, you gripped the bat which had been hanging loosely in your grip and took a single step forward.

"Go to hell." You words, spoken with all the anger you could muster, earned a flinch from the demon. Your bat, however, earned a lot more as it scythed out with a desperate ferocity, cracking against his skull and sending it to snap backwards. For a moment, you winced. Even if it was a demon, that was McNauley's body you were attacking, and you didn't know if he could be saved.A glance revealed him twitching however, and you could hear a slow grating as the neck slowly started to twist back into place. You took a step forward, ready to stop down hard and keep him distracted, when a sudden groan from the side stole your attention.

"Fuck, kid. What the hell did you do?" You almost found yourself jumping for joy as Chase stumbled out of the pile of wood and parchment he had been buried in, looking worse-for-wear but still alive. The sharp glare he was sending your way, however, dampened the feeling slightly, and you winced as he took a slow, unsteady step forwards.

"I-I don't really know," You shrugged, shifting forward a step as he seemed to falter. The mage caught himself, however, one hand landing heavily on an upturned table, and you found yourself stopping.

"Of course not." Chase muttered, shooting you another glare, before standing upright, though he kept a hand out for support. "Whatever it was, it worked. Now I can kill this demon and put an end to this truly gods-be-damned night." He looked at the demon, still laid out on the floor, and took a meaningful step forward-before collapsing into a boneless pile.

"Chase!" You shouted, rushing forwards to catch the man, only to be a second to late as he slammed into the floor with a heavy , you kneeled, picking him up tenderly, and turning him to face you. "Are you alright?"

Strangely, the honest question seemed only to amuse the man as, he let out a bitter huff of a laugh. "Does it look like I'm okay?" He asked, sarcasm thick in his voice. Wincing, you shook your head.

"Actually, it looks more like you tried wrestling with a savage lion, before being run over by a bull, but I just assumed that was your usual state." He blinked at the blithe comment, before frowning.

"Har har. Very funny, but I don't think we have time for jokes." At his words you glance over at where McNauley lay. He was rising now, albeit slowly, hands pressing to lift him off the floor with laborious breaths.

"How-how do we save him?" You ask turning back to Chase. The small hint of hope that had sparked in your heart died a second later when he laughed once again.

"We don't." he said, voice flat and harsh as the mage met your gaze squarely. "The demon will have utterly destroyed McNauley to the point where there's nothing left by now. All that's left is to kill the thing and be done with it." For what felt like an eternity, you stared at the boy, mouth gaping as you tried to process his words. McNauley dead? That-that wasn't possible. You couldn't believe it.

"No." You said, the words spilling out of you without bidding. "No, I can't do that. I won't. There has to be another way."

"Look at him." Was Chase's even response, and he jerked his chin in the direction of the demon. Look him in the eyes and see for yourself if there's any humanity left. you won't find anything." You bit your lip and, slowly, nodded. As gently as you could, you set the man down, wincing at every hitched breath and tiny noise of pain erupting from the back of his throat. Slowly you stood, stepping over to where the demon had now made it to his hands and knees. You felt the power in the air as you walked, stirring with every step. Almost unconsciously you found yourself gathering it, drawing the light and the dark to you like a fisherman pulling his net. The magic responded eagerly, answered your call with vigor, and as you stopped in front of the beast, your blood sang with power. Every inch of you shimmered and burned as you hand reached out, cupping McNauley's familiar cheek and lifting the man's head to stare into his eyes. They were pitch black, darker than the void in which you had been stranded as they met your gaze with untold fear.

"Please." He whispered, his voice surprisingly human in its tone. "Please, Jenna, it's me, McNauley. Don't kill me." Even as he spoke, you looked, gaze not wavering from his eyes. Was there a flicker of life there, The old man shining through in this last moment as the demon was at its weakest? Or was it a trick of the light, an illusion cast by the demon as it drew on McNauley's memories in a desperate attempt to fool you? Slowly, your other hand came up, reaching out as if across a great distance. It touched his forehead, buzzing with power and you…

 **1(Purge the demon. McNauley had to still be alive, he just had to. Burn out the infection, and you just might save him.**

 **2(Crush the demon. McNauley was gone, nothing more than a forgotten memory ground into dust under the heel of this beast. It deserved the same fate.**


End file.
